What’s My Carbon Footprint?

Our carbon footprint calculator estimates how many tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gases your choices create each
year. more info

Carbon dioxide (CO2)
is the primary greenhouse gas in our atmosphere. This means that the
amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere directly influences how much
of the sun's heat stays in the atmosphere, which is a key factor in
climate change. One ton of carbon dioxide is released when you travel
5,000 miles in an airplane, drive 2,500 miles in a medium-sized car, or
cut down and burn a tree that was about one foot in diameter and 40 feet
tall. There are other greenhouse gases as well, such as methane and
nitrous oxide. This carbon footprint calculator includes these gases in
your results and reports them in a standardized measure called "tons of
CO2 equivalent."

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To get started, select the number of people in your home:

There are
people in my household.

Then choose whether you want to calculate a carbon footprint for yourself or for your household:

Please select number of people and choose "For Me Only" or "For My Household".

Your estimated impact**Your estimated impact**

IWe live in

Some states generate cleaner electricity than others, which affects your home energy impact.

IWe live in a(n)
with
bedrooms.

"Attached" single family homes includes
townhouses, duplexes, and some condos. Condos in large multi-residence
buildings should be treated as apartments.

The number of bedrooms allows us to estimate the size of the dwelling.

Please select your household type, number of bedrooms, and state.

What Have You Done to Change Your Impact?

IWe've
taken steps to heat and cool myour home efficiently.

Wherever possible In some areas Very little

Some possible steps include:
• Install a programmable thermostat
• Set the temperature lower for heating and higher for cooling
• Reduce drafts from windows and doors
• Properly insulate your attic and walls
• Use ceiling fans and floor fans for cooling
• Shade windows using drapes or overhangs

IWe have installed efficient lighting.

Everywhere possibleIn some lightsNot yet

Fluorescent lighting is far more efficient than
halogen and standard incandescent lights. Compact fluorescents (CFLs)
are a simple replacement of standard incandescents and they consume only
1/3 the energy and last about 10 times as long as standard incandescent
lights.

For this question you should indicate how much of your lighting is fluorescent.

IWe use ENERGY STAR appliances and electronics and unplug
equipment not in use.

AlwaysSometimesRarely

ENERGY STAR equipment and appliances are labeled with this blue logo.
• If you know that you buy ENERGY STAR labeled products, you should select "Sometimes" or "Always".
•
If you are not familiar with this program or don't consider energy
efficiency when buying equipment and household appliances you should
select "Rarely".
• If you rarely purchase new appliances or
equipment but you unplug electronic devices not in use, you should
select "Sometimes", since you are still saving energy.

What have you done to change your Driving & Flying impact?

IWe drive the following vehicle(s): roughly
miles per

If your vehicle is not represented in our list
of common vehicle types, please use the most appropriate type based on
miles per gallon (mpg) fuel consumption. "Hybrid" refers to vehicles
like the Toyota Prius that use a hybrid gas / electric power system.
The type of vehicle you own and especially the number of miles you drive
have a significant impact on your overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Air filters are often checked as part of a
standard oil change service. The more miles you drive, the more impact
checking your air filter has.

IWe check the tire pressure...

Monthly Occasionally Rarely

Since tires slowly lose air over time and with
changes in temperature, it is best to check them or have them checked
periodically. Frequent drivers will see more impact from this behavior
than those with less miles driven.

In the past year I have flown In the past year we have flown
long flights and
short flights.

All flights are round trips per person and should include both business and personal travel. If two people fly on the same trip, it is considered two trips.

Consider a short flight to be less than 1.5 hours (300 miles) one way.

Tons of CO2 eq/yr

Your estimated impact**Your estimated impact**

What have you done to change your Food & Diet impact?

Your Estimated Impact (based on U.S. averages)

IWe include meat in myour diet...

At most meals

Most days, but
not every meal

Rarely

Never

• If you eat red meat or fish most every day, select "At most meals".
• If you eat a variety of meats, but don't avoid red meats or fish, select "Most days"
• If the meat you eat is primarily poultry or you don't eat much meat at all, select "Rarely".
• If you have a vegetarian diet that includes eggs and milk, select "Rarely".
• Strict vegetarians and vegans should select "Never".
• Consider both home meals and dining out.
• Eating meat raised locally, grass-fed or that you hunt generates fewer emissions.

IWe eat organic food...

Most of the time
Sometimes
Never or rarely

Not all food can be obtained organically and that which can may not be available all of the time.
• If you seek out organic food as your first choice for all of your food choices, select "Most of the time".
• If you buy organic on some products, but pass on others, select "Sometimes".
• If you do not consider organic food choices or frequently pass on purchasing organic, select "Never or rarely".
Consider both grocery shopping and dining out.

Tons of CO2 eq/yr

Your estimated impact**Your estimated impact**

What have you done to change your Recycling & Waste impact?

Your Estimated Impact (based on U.S. averages)

IWe recycle...

All materials locally recyclable

Some of our waste

Not much

• If you typically recycle everything you know is recyclable, select "All materials".
• If you don't make it a habit to recycle at least some of your waste, select "Not much".
• Anything in between can be considered "Some of our waste".
• Your county or city solid waste management division may have a list
of locally recyclable materials based on the type of material and the
numeric code for plastic containers.

IWe compost food scraps and yard trimmings...

Whenever possible

Sometimes

Rarely

• If you divert most all of your food waste by
composting it, you avoid a significant portion of your household's solid
waste and you should select "Whenever possible".
• If you have a compost pile or bin and use it from time to time, select "Sometimes".
• If you do not compost, select "Rarely".

Tons of CO2 eq/yr

You haven't filled out some of the sections, so your results may not reflect your actual impact.

Your Results

Your Behavior
Breakdown

Home Energy (%)

Driving & Flying (%)

Recycling & Waste (%)

Food & Diet (%)

U.S. Average
Behavior Breakdown

Home Energy (%)

Driving & Flying (%)

Recycling & Waste (%)

Food & Diet (%)

Your estimated greenhouse gas emissions are tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent per year, which is the same as the U.S. national average.

To reduce your climate impact, there are many simple things you can
change in your everyday behavior that will make a big difference in the
fight to slow climate change:

Offsetting your carbon footprint with The Nature Conservancy
will help fund forest conservation, improved forest management or
reforestation projects that produce measurable benefits to the
atmosphere. The projects in this program will help reduce or slow the
worst consequences of climate change and protect habitats and the
natural services they provide.

What's My Carbon Footprint

Inevitably, in going about our daily lives — commuting, sheltering our families, eating — each of us contributes to the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change. Yet, there are many things each of us, as individuals, can do to reduce our carbon emissions. The choices we make in our homes, our travel, the food we eat, and what we buy and throw away all influence our carbon footprint and can help ensure a stable climate for future generations.

The Nature Conservancy neither transfers nor sells carbon offsets
through its voluntary carbon offset program. You contribute to The
Nature Conservancy; the projects in the Conservancy's voluntary carbon
offset program create the carbon offsets, and then we retire the carbon
offsets on your behalf. You neither take ownership over nor title to the
carbon offsets. Donations to charitable nonprofits are tax deductible
because no financial benefit accrues to the donor.

The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 53-0242652) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.